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Colonial land revenue policies formed a central pillar of British administration in India, fundamentally reshaping agrarian structures, property relations, and rural society. Revenue collection was not merely a fiscal exercise but a political strategy that enabled the colonial state to consolidate authority and regulate agricultural production. (Bandopadhyay, 2004). Through systems such as the Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari Settlement, and Mahalwari Settlement, the British introduced new frameworks of land rights and taxation that differed regionally yet shared the common objective of securing stable and predictable income for the state. (Metcalf & Metcalf, 2006). The Permanent Settlement institutionalized a class of intermediaries by recognizing zamindars as proprietors responsible for fixed revenue payments. While this arrangement offered administrative certainty, it significantly altered rural power relations and weakened customary tenures, often intensifying peasant dependence and indebtedness. (Guha, 1982). In contrast, the Ryotwari system sought to eliminate intermediaries by establishing direct settlements with cultivators. Despite its theoretical emphasis on peasant proprietorship, high revenue assessments and periodic revisions imposed heavy burdens on cultivators, contributing to economic insecurity. (Stokes, 1978). The Mahalwari system, designed around collective responsibility at the village or estate level, attempted to incorporate traditional institutions but frequently generated internal disparities and administrative complexities. (Ludden, 1999). This study comparatively examines these revenue systems to highlight their structural logic and socio-economic consequences. Although differing in design and implementation, all three systems reflected the colonial priority of revenue maximization rather than agrarian welfare. Their long-term effects included shifts in land ownership patterns, increased commercialization, and heightened vulnerability of rural populations. (Chandra, 2009). By situating land revenue policies within the broader framework of colonial governance, this paper underscores how fiscal objectives influenced legal reforms, social hierarchies, and rural transformations in colonial India. (Bandopadhyay, 2004).

Colonial land policy, Revenue settlements, Agrarian structure, Peasant economy, Rural social change